contrast agents – special dyes used in some medical tests to help certain areas of your body show up better on scans

latex – a type of rubber found in some rubber gloves and condoms

In some cases, there's no obvious trigger. This is known as idiopathic anaphylaxis.

Preventing anaphylaxis

If you have a serious allergy or have experienced anaphylaxis before, it's important to try to prevent future episodes.

The following can help reduce your risk:

identify any triggers – you may be referred to an allergy clinic for allergy tests to check for anything that could trigger anaphylaxis

avoid triggers whenever possible – for example, you should be careful when food shopping or eating out if you have a food allergy

carry your adrenaline auto-injector at all times (if you have two, carry them both) – give yourself an injection whenever you think you may be experiencing anaphylaxis, even if you're not completely sure